


In the end, it's so clear

by thequietrecluse



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bullying, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, God I'm tired, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I swear this is happier than I'm making it sound, I went to write tired and almost wrote excited what's wrong with me, Light Angst, M/M, Scent Marking, but I was half delirious while finishing this, hopefully I finish those someday, maybe you can tell, side chensung, side renomin, this is my first NCT fic but I have so many other NCT fics I'm working on, well not exactly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 12:51:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18446936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequietrecluse/pseuds/thequietrecluse
Summary: Donghyuck woke up already wanting the day to be over.As if on cue, his phone dinged.Injunnie: Is it bad that I’m actually kind of excited for today?





	In the end, it's so clear

**Author's Note:**

  * For [humeurvagabonde](https://archiveofourown.org/users/humeurvagabonde/gifts).



> anyone else have this thing where when they're writing a scene with 2+ characters who are all the same gender and they just write their names excessively because using "he" is just too confusing?
> 
> title taken from "we go up" because this was labelled "Dream ABO" in my drive and that's not creative.
> 
> I'll come back and edit this when I'm not ready to fall asleep on my keyboard

Donghyuck woke up already wanting the day to be over. Outside his window, he could hear the sound of tents getting set up, the sound of happy laughter and excited conversations. The anticipation was almost tangible in the air.

He was _so_ not for it.

As if on cue, his phone dinged. Rolling over, he lazily fumbled around until he found his phone, blinking blearily as he opened the text.

**Injunnie: Is it bad that I’m actually kind of excited for today?**

Was it? Donghyuck sighed. No, not really. Renjun had every reason to look forward to today. Today was meant to be a day of celebration. Just because Donghyuck dreaded this day didn’t mean Renjun had to.

**Haechan: of course not!**

**Haechan: do you think Jeno and Jaemin will ask to court you?**

**Injunnie: I hope so.**

**Injunnie: They’ve been leaving so many hints... what if they were just joking?**

Donghyuck snorted. Highly unlikely. Jaemin was a flirt, yes, but the amount of attention he gave Renjun was absurd for a friend, and Jeno wasn’t big on skinship to begin with so him being all over Renjun would be hard to explain.

**Haechan: I doubt it. They’re not like that with me.**

**Injunnie: I guess...**

**Injunnie: Will you be okay today?**

He rolled his eyes. His friends, always so loyal and caring. They were probably going to keep a close eye on him, no matter what he said. He wasn’t going to break down just because he was lonely and no one had approached him yet.

**Haechan: don’t worry about me. It’s just one day.**

**Injunnie: What if they corner you again?**

**Haechan: I’ll make sure they won’t**

**Injunnie: Are you sure?**

**Haechan: Yeah, I’m sure.**

**Injunnie: Okay, if you say so.**

**Injunnie: Got to go. See you soon?**

**Haechan: yeah, definitely!**

Donghyuck sighed, slamming his phone down beside him on the bed. He was really tempted to just roll over and go back to sleep, but he would be in more trouble if people noticed his absence. So with a loud groan, he rolled out of bed and reluctantly got ready for the day. He made sure to wear something nice enough that people wouldn’t assume he’d given up on finding someone and that his courting gift was in his bag before leaving his room.

With a name like Neo City, the actual town itself wasn’t as large as it was made out to be. They were one of the largest packs, yes, with more members joining as time went on, but they were pretty self-contained. Most of their members were either mated, mated with kids, roommates, or some combination of the three. It meant that Neo City wasn’t a sprawling, large town, even though it had a high population.

Jaemin was already in the kitchen when he walked downstairs, making side dishes while what was presumably a stew simmered on the stove.

“Morning,” he greeted without turning around, clearly smelling Donghyuck’s scent as he walked in. “How’d you sleep?”

“Pretty good,” he shrugged.

“Will you be okay today?” If he couldn’t smell the worry radiating off the younger, Donghyuck wouldn’t have missed it in his voice.

He rolled his eyes again. “You too?” He whined. “I was just texting Renjun about it.”

“Can you blame us? We know how much you hate the festival,” Jaemin shrugged.

“I know, but it’s not like I’m gonna break down just because no one wants me this year. It’ll be just like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that...” Donghyuck began.

“True, but it’s different this year,” Jaemin insisted, finally turning around. “We’re of age now. We’re graduating from high school and most people are either courting or have their mates by now. I’m just worried about what people will say to you if you _aren’t_ approached.”

He knew. Moon, Donghyuck knew that the gossip mill in Neo City could be ruthless. They’d all been the focus of them at one point, and it wasn’t fun. If Donghyuck became one of the few omegas who didn’t get courted at the festival today despite being of age, he’d never hear the end of it.

“Not much I can do about that,” Donghyuck shrugged. “I can’t control people not wanting to court me.”

Just then, Jeno walked in, bedhead prominent. “I refuse to believe there’s no one in Neo City who doesn’t want you as their mate,” he yawned sleepily, dragging himself over to plant a drowsy kiss on Jaemin’s temple. “Morning, Nana.”

“Morning, Jeno,” the other replied cheerily. “Breakfast’s almost ready, is Jisung up?”

“I woke him up before I came down here,” Jeno mumbled, beginning to set the table. “He should be down soon.”

“He’ll be down soon,” Donghyuck grinned. “He’s been planning his mating gift for Chenle for ages. Oh, speak of the devil,” He ignored Jaemin and Jeno’s concerned looks for hugging Jisung when he nearly tripped into the kitchen, looking simultaneously excited and terrified. “Are you ready for today?”

“Yes, wait, no, well kinda, maybe? No, no, yes. I-I meant yes, not no. Yes, I’m ready. Yeah, I’m ready,” Jisung stammered, still clearly frazzled.

Donghyuck snorted. “Do you have your mating gift?”

The youngest flinched, frantically patting his pockets before sighing in relief. “Yes, yes I do.”

“Then sit down and eat breakfast so that we can get going,” Jaemin chimed in, a soft smile on his face as he set the soup down, angled more towards Jisung than Donghyuck. He rolled his eyes. The soft spot Jaemin had for the youngest, really...

As they all settled down to eat breakfast, Donghyuck asked casually, “So, Jeno, any big plans for you and Jaemin today?”

The two exchanged wary looks before Jeno replied skeptically, “what do you mean?”

“I mean, you guys mated last year, right? So this is your first time not participating in the mating festival, so how are you going to celebrate it?” He said, plastering an innocent look on his face.

Jeno clearly didn’t believe it, if his narrowed eyes were any indication. “What does it matter to you what we do today?”

“He’s asking because he wants to know if you plan on courting Renjun-hyung or not,” Jisung retorted, not looking up from his food.

“Well someone’s back to normal,” Donghyuck drawled, offended at being called out so quickly.

“Wha-what about Renjun?” Jeno stammered, shooting Jaemin panicked looks, though he looked a little flustered himself.

“C’mon, you guys haven’t been subtle,” Donghyuck complained. “The compliments, the skinship, the _gifts?_ You’ve practically been courting him all year. Why not make it official?”

“It still feels too soon,” Jaemin muttered, looking down at his fingers.

Jeno nodded. “What if it doesn’t work out?”

Donghyuck felt like slamming his head on the table. “Well, at least you’re all miserable at the same time,” he muttered to himself, before speaking louder, “Look, Renjun’s not dumb. He knows what you guys have been doing this entire time, and he hasn’t rejected you guys once. He’s all over you like you’re all over him, and I honestly don’t think he’s been looking at anyone else, either. If you don’t tell him you want to court him today I will actually flip.”

Jisung snickered. “If you don’t ask to court him, Donghyuck will.”

“He wouldn’t,” Jaemin retorted. When Donghyuck didn’t respond, he whirled to face him. “You wouldn’t, would you?”

If he was being honest, he had thought about it. It would certainly make things easier, but in the long run, they wouldn’t be happy. They would just be comfortable. He’d rather let Renjun be happy and in love with his mates than mating with him just so he wouldn’t be lonely.

Just to freak Jaemin and Jeno out, though, Donghyuck didn’t say anything and tried to look particularly hesitant before replying, “...no?”

The two of them looked like they were about to tear him apart and... were their eyes shifting?

Shitshitshitshit _shit._ “I was kidding guys!” Donghyuck cried out, sliding his chair back to put more distance between him and the mated pair. “Don’t kill me!” Jisung, the traitor, was laughing at his misfortune.

Ever the mediator, Jeno calmed down quickly, pulling the omega into his arms to calm him down in turn. “Sorry, Donghyuck,” he apologized, though he didn’t sound sorry in the least.

“Eh, it was my fault,” he shrugged, getting up. “Well, are we ready for the festival?”

Like a flick of a switch, everyone became nervous again.

Well, he tried.

 

If he was being honest, he was kind of nervous too. And not in a good way.

Jeno, Jaemin, and Jisung had a completely different reason to be nervous; they were preparing to take the next step and were nervous about the change. Donghyuck was nervous because he was afraid of what would happen if no one wanted him this year. He wasn’t the kind of person to care about what people would say, but he didn’t want constant reminders that he wasn’t wanted for the rest of his life. Very few people found mates after high school without visiting other packs, and Donghyuck didn’t want to have to prove himself to new packs again and again.

Staring at the bright, cheerful sign flapping in the wind, Donghyuck mentally braced himself.

Almost immediately, he was bombarded by the loud, happy chattering of his classmates and his juniors as they walked around, many of them carrying small bags presumably carrying their courting or mating gifts. The excitement was clear in the air, and it was making him feel nauseous. The group easily split apart, Jisung and Donghyuck heading for the group of omegas and betas waiting to be courted.

He easily found Renjun among the myriad of scents, the familiar smell of chamomile helping to calm his nerves. He led Jisung through the crowd toward Renjun, who looked more nervous the closer he got. He had a rather large bag, presumably for both of his courting gifts. Knowing Renjun, he went above and beyond. He was talented like that.

Before they could get something out, Renjun started rambling, trembling nervously. “Do you think Jeno and Jaemin will ask me today? Because it would be really awkward if they didn’t and my personalized mating gifts were for nothing. I have another one, in case someone else I might like asks me. But what if they don’t ask me? What will I do with my mating gifts? I guess I could give it to them to give to each other. But how can I explain it without telling them I like them? And then how--”

Donghyuck grabbed Renjun’s shoulders, effectively shutting him up. “Calm down,” he said, an amused smile on his face. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah, you should’ve seen Jeno hyung and Jaemin hyung this morning,” Jisung giggled. “They freaked when I said Donghyuck-hyung would court you if they didn’t.”

“Really?” Renjun asked, looking a little calmer. “That sounds good.”

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. Of course, it would sound good, why wouldn’t it? Being courted by someone you like? Renjun and Jisung were lucky. They had nothing really to worry about. Not like Donghyuck did.

“Did you see Chenle before the festival?” Renjun asked.

The youngest shook his head. “We decided not to so that everything’s a surprise.”

“Are you excited?” Donghyuck asked.

“Yeah,” Jisung said, a small, embarrassed smile on his face, “but I still feel really nervous. Aren’t we too young?”

“I mean, kinda,” Donghyuck shrugged. “Most people are only courting at sixteen. But you two have had this unbreakable bond since you were, like, ten. It doesn’t really make sense for you guys to wait any longer when you’ve both known you were mates for six years.”

“Everyone’s different,” Renjun said reassuringly, patting Jisung’s shoulder. “Just because Haechan and I don’t have mates just yet doesn’t mean you can’t. You can’t compare yourself to us. Not when it comes with your individual relationships. There’s no real timeline with relationships.”

Donghyuck felt a hollow pang of loneliness. No matter how happy he was for his friends, he couldn’t ignore the fact that he had a high chance of not finding someone today. It would almost be better if he started making plans to visit other packs now instead of wasting time waiting for someone he knew didn’t exist. He was friends with Lee Chan and Kim Samuel from Carat Land. Maybe he should pay them a visit, get away from Neo City for a bit.

“Hyung?” Blinking, Donghyuck turned to face Jisung, a look of sympathy on the younger’s face. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, of course,” he said, shaking his head. “Just a little anxious. I just want the festival to be over.”

“Let’s meet up tomorrow for lunch,” Renjun suggested calmly. “All of us. We haven’t hung out in a while.”

“And who’s fault is that?” Jisung retorted brazenly, and then--“Ack! Hyung, let me go!”

“Aish, this brat,” Renjun muttered, tightening his grip on the youngest. “You have no idea what senior year is like.”

“Please don’t kill the maknae, Chenle will throw a fit,” Donghyuck deadpanned, watching Renjun unceremoniously drop Jisung, letting the maknae hit the ground gasping for air.

“Also, did you hear?” Renjun continued, completely ignoring the maknae, “Mark’s come back.”

Donghyuck’s heart dropped.

“Did he?” He asked, trying to keep his heart rate down. It’d been a long time since he’d last seen the older. They had grown up together, and were very close, even though Donghyuck constantly annoyed Mark. When he was fourteen, Mark and his cousin Johnny got prestigious scholarships to schools in Canada and America, respectively. It had been a difficult time, having to watch his best friend leave, but he couldn’t stop Mark from pursuing what he wanted. He’d reassured himself that they would keep in touch.

And at first, they did. Mark had sent Donghyuck emails every week, and a letter every month. It made it easier, knowing that Mark was having a good time. It made him feel better about letting him go. But then the emails began coming later and later, and then the letters stopped coming, and then the emails stopped coming.

Donghyuck couldn’t say that didn’t hurt. Part of him understood that Mark was busy, that he was in a new school in a new country with new people and a new culture, and that he had to devote all his time to adjust and succeed. The other part of him felt so betrayed by his best friend abandoning him, leaving him at the mercy of his classmates and the vicious rumor mill. He had his other friends, sure, but Mark’s leaving left a huge hole that even his friends couldn’t fill permanently.

And now he was back.

“Yeah, I heard from Sicheng-ge that Johnny-hyung and Mark-hyung flew back yesterday. Mark’s graduation was the day before, but they wanted to be back in time for the Mating Festival,” Renjun said, eyes gauging Donghyuck’s reaction.

“Why, though? Didn’t Johnny-hyung mate with Ten-hyung before he left?” Jisung asked.

Finally, Donghyuck spoke up. “I thought Mark-hyung would’ve found a mate by now.”

“If he did, then he wouldn’t be back here, right?” Renjun challenged.

Unable to take any more speculation, Donghyuck turned away. “You never know,” he muttered.

“Well, whatever it is, it’s still good that Mark’s back,” Jisung shrugged. “It’s been a long time.”

Yeah, it had been.

 

At eleven, the omegas and betas head out of town and into the surrounding woods, preparing for the hunt. Generations ago, when people could shift into their wolf forms, mating hunts were used to find their mates using their superior senses. It was a sacred ritual that most packs kept, even as evolution eventually made it impossible for people to shift. Now, the mating festival was an elaborate game of hide and seek where alphas would try to find their prospective mate based on scent.

For Donghyuck, though, the mating festival was a literal hunt. He usually spent the two hours evading some of his classmates who liked to taunt Donghyuck about his lack of potential mates. They always did it after meeting with their prospective mates, so Donghyuck had enough time to find a good hiding spot and hope that they never found him. Some years they didn’t, but most years Donghyuck found himself being chased until time ran out, and then spending the rest of the festival recovering in the forest. His tormentors sure knew how to spoil the festival for him, year after year.

This year, Donghyuck found a nice hiding spot, in the highest branches of a weeping willow, by a small pond. It was much deeper in the forest than he usually liked to venture, but if that meant he was farther away from his classmates, than that was okay.

As he settled down on a large, sturdy branch, Donghyuck wondered where Renjun and Jisung were hiding, if they were impatient enough to hide somewhere close so that they could commence with the mating as soon as possible, or if they were hiding somewhere that had meaning for both couples.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever get to feel that. It wasn’t necessarily _impossible_ to find a mate after high school--he’s heard stories about people finding mates when they’re much, _much_ older, but as romantic as it sounded, he knew that they must have suffered for so long before they fell in love. He didn’t want to be like them. He’d rather try again with another town.

And then there was the whole Mark thing. He didn’t know how he felt about it. There were just too many different conflicting emotions in his head. He was happy that Mark was back, betrayed that he had neglected and ignored him, sad at how much time had passed by, angry that he’d been left behind, terrified that Mark was unrecognizable now, and so on. He couldn’t make sense of anything anymore.

He was just about to dig in his bag for the snacks he’d packed when he heard the sound of footsteps and hollering. His breath caught in his throat as his heart slammed to a stop. The footsteps got louder and louder, and the hollering became shriller, as if to make up for the sudden silence on Donghyuck’s part. Please don’t let this be who he thinks it is... Not now, please not now.

“Yah! Lee!”

Shit. They found him. Donghyuck scrambled to sit upright, almost falling off the branch. He glanced at his phone. 12:18. How had they found him already?

“Hey, look at that. Lee’s up a tree like a scaredy cat.”

“No wonder he hasn't got a mate. No one would want to mate someone who acts more like a cowardly kitten than a proud wolf.”

As self-assured and confident as Donghyuck was, his tormentors sure knew how to make him feel weak and worthless. He was so tired of the bullying, so tired of his fears becoming true, so tired of what his life had become. He loved his friends, yes. He loved his hometown, loved the community he’d grown up in. But he spent most of his life feeling isolated and different. He was the only orphan in their little friend group that didn’t have a mate. He was happy for them, and they made sure to not make him feel left out, but nothing would ever ease the emptiness that only a mate could fill. And to have his bullies pick at that today, in his last year of high school and at the mating festival with seemingly no prospects, made him feel more worthless than ever before. He curled against the trunk of the tree and pressed his hands to his ears, trying his best to block their words out.

“Aw, is the little kitten frightened? Don’t worry, you can stay up there for all eternity. No one would care.”

Donghyuck knew that wasn’t true: his friends loved and adored him, and wouldn’t ever trade him for the world. But right now, when he was so scared of not finding a mate and so insecure because of his friends finding theirs and so uncertain about what Mark’s return meant to him, he couldn’t help but believe it, just a little bit.

But just a little was enough to wreck him. He whimpered pathetically.

He hears loud cackling from below his tree. “What a wimp. No respectable wolf will want a mate like you, Lee!”

“Pathetic.”

“Useless.”

“Worthless.”

“Unwanted.”

“Filthy orphan.”

He buried his head in his knees, fighting the tears threatening to break free. If only the others were here...

“What’s going on here?” A new, heartachingly familiar voice called. Donghyuck’s breath hitched. No, not him. _Anyone_ but him.

“Nothing you should be worried about, Lee.”

“There’s a lot of you,” Mark commented lightly, his voice carefree. “Are you all trying to mate one person?”

That seemed to startle the bullies, as they all sputtered indignantly.

“Wha-what? No, of course not,” one of them managed. “We all have mates.”

“Then why are you here?” Mark asked. “Did you abandon your mates? That’s very insulting here, just so you know. In case you forgot, which would be weird because you all were here the entire time I was in Canada, and yet I still remember.”

“Are you threatening us?”

“And if I am?” Donghyuck didn’t remember Mark to be this... assertive.

Someone scoffed. “Just because you got a fancy scholarship abroad doesn’t mean you know shit, Lee. You think you’re a big shot because you left town, huh?”

“I didn’t need to leave town just to be better than you,” Mark retorted, voice challenging. “I mean, look at you. Bullying one of your classmates just because you have a mate and he doesn’t? Abandoning your mates so early in your relationship? Moon, I hope you know how to make it up to them, or you won’t have mates for long. And then who’ll be the pathetic ones?”

There was a brief pause before he heard one of the bullies mutter, “c’mon, let’s go,” and the sound of their footsteps jogging away. Relaxing slightly, Donghyuck blinked back the tears and roughly wiped away the ones that escaped, trying to compose himself.

“Donghyuck-ah?” Mark called gently, much closer to the tree than before. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he croaked hoarsely. “Thanks.” It hurt, being this awkward with Mark when they’d basically been childhood friends, but Donghyuck truly didn’t know how to act. Was this even the same Mark who’d left four years ago?

“Can... Can I come up?” Mark’s voice was hesitant and tentative, clearly picking up on the tension between them.

He shrugged. He really couldn’t stop the older if he wanted to. “Go ahead.”

Slowly, carefully, he heard Mark climb up the tree. It took him a lot longer than he would’ve expected, and he heard him slip a few times--that was still the same, at least--but finally Mark managed to haul himself onto the branch, facing Donghyuck.

Donghyuck felt his heart give a painful _lurch_ when he finally faced the older. Even though Mark had grown older, looked more mature, looked more _confident,_ there were some things that never changed; the awkwardness of his smile, the ears that still stuck out slightly from his head, the warmth and friendliness in his eyes. He was familiar and unfamiliar and it just _hurt._

“Hey,” Mark said quietly, eyes flickering, unsure of where to look.

“Hey,” Donghyuck replied equally as soft, gaze on Mark’s hands. “You came back.”

The other swallowed tightly, managing a hoarse, “yeah,” under his breath.

“How... how was Canada?” He said, desperate to disperse this awkward silence between them. It was just... he didn’t know if Mark was a stranger or an old friend. If he was someone he should welcome back or someone he should introduce himself to. His mind kept switching back and forth, trying to reconcile his fuzzy image of past Mark with the person in front of him now.

“Good,” Mark replied, fidgeting slightly on the branch. “I... It really helped me.”

Donghyuck tried to ignore the sting of pain the other’s words sent. He swallowed painfully. “How?”

Mark’s gaze flickered from Donghyuck’s eyes to the branch and back. “I mean... it helped me become more... independent, I guess. I was alone in a foreign country without anyone else, with Johnny in Chicago and me in Vancouver, and you... you all were over here, kilometres away on the opposite side of the world. I had to adjust, do everything on my own. I couldn’t get Johnny or someone else to fix my problems from a different country.”

He frowned. “Didn’t you have friends in Vancouver? You had to have friends over there that could help you.”

The elder shrugged. “I mean, I did... but it was different. They all grew up in Vancouver. They knew the culture and the pack traditions and they had already had their friend groups and their mates... they were friendly and nice to me, yeah, and they helped me a lot and I’m glad I had them, but... it wasn’t the same. I never felt close enough to really... talk about my problems. There was, like, this huge gap between us. I couldn’t talk to them about it. They wouldn’t really understand.”

Donghyuck stared blankly at Mark, feeling like the branch had given out from underneath him without him noticing. That couldn’t possibly be true. Mark was the most popular kid in town; parents, teachers, and students alike adored him. He could fit himself into any friend circle if he wanted to. The idea that Mark would feel out of place in Canada never occurred to him.

But... the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Canada was a world away, with a presumably different culture than here. Mark was friendly, yes, but in a place where he was completely out of his element? He couldn’t have expected Mark to be able to adjust to an entirely new country and fit in as well as he did here.

A wave of guilt washed over him. This entire time, while Donghyuck had been drowning in a pool of betrayal, abandonment, and self-pity, Mark was struggling, alone, and isolated from everyone back home. Donghyuck had stupidly assumed that Mark just didn’t want or need him anymore, and didn’t even bother to fight for his best friend when he needed him most. He’d never questioned why. And to know what his best friend was going through while he was being comforted by his friends and his home... he couldn’t help but feel guilty for so easily abandoning his closest friend without a reason.

But still... “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Mark flinched. “What?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Donghyuck repeated, righteous anger rising within him. “We were _best friends,_ Mark-hyung. We told each other _everything._ You promised me before we left that nothing would change and we’d always be friends. And yet look what happened! Why did you stop talking to me? What made you think that not talking to me was better than just _telling_ me what was going on? I could’ve helped!”

“Donghyuck-”

“No!” He lurched forward, nearly toppling over. He caught himself in time, though Mark had also reached out to steady him. He brushed the other off. “What made you think I couldn’t help you? _I could’ve helped you!_ Even if I’m thousands of kilometres away and I don’t know exactly what it’s like over there, I could’ve supported you! I could’ve, I could’ve...” He slumped, sighing in tired exasperation. “I could’ve done _something..._ ” he let out another defeated sigh, eyes dropping to his fingers.

He _hated_ himself for feeling this way. Even though all of this was in the past and there was nothing he could have done because Mark had decided not to tell him, this feeling of pure helplessness was overwhelming, threatening to choke him with it. He didn’t look up at Mark again until he heard a sound from the other. His head snapped up in shock. Did he just... whimper?

Mark looked _wrecked._ His eyes were trained on the tree branch in front of him, his hands clasped tightly together and his entire frame was trembling like a leaf. He looked tiny, almost submissive, the way he was shrinking into himself.

Instinctively, he reached out to grasp the other’s hand like he used to. Before he could even reach the other, Mark blurted out, “I’m sorry.”

Surprised, Donghyuck drew his hand back. “What?”

Mark let out a soft sigh before looking up and finally meeting Donghyuck’s eyes.  “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I shouldn’t have abandoned you. I just left you hanging and ignored you and I know that couldn’t have felt good. I don’t blame you for being mad at me and feel like I betrayed you. I was stupid for thinking you wouldn’t be angry. I guess I just forgot you were human too, no matter how strong you try to be.”

“Then why did you do it?” Donghyuck persisted. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Mark’s shoulders slumped. “Because I wanted to prove myself,” he said quietly. “I wanted to prove myself to you. I told myself that I would do my best to become strong and independent so that when I came back, I could show you that I was someone... worth having as a mate.”

It was like time stopped. Donghyuck’s gaze focused in on Mark’s expression, and all he could hear was the pounding of his heart in his chest, threatening to burst out of its chest and join Mark’s. Mark had wanted him as his mate this entire time. Donghyuck _had_ been wanted. There had never been a moment where he hadn’t been wanted. Never.

Lost in his thoughts, he barely recognized Mark’s face quickly becoming one of panic. “Oh, um, I mean, if that’s okay with you! I-I never asked if you were being courted and I understand if you aren’t i-interested and-”

“You _idiot!_ ” Donghyuck shrieked, belatedly realizing that he was crying. “I don’t know what made you think that _ignoring_ me was the way to prove that you’re a good mate! What is this, kindergarten? You have to _talk_ to me about this kind of stuff! I swear, if you decide to pull that shit on me when we’re mated, I’m gonna _murder you._ ”

Mark nodded, still a little crestfallen, until he suddenly straightened up, eyes wide. “ _When_ we become mates? You’re accepting me as your mate?”

He shook his head. “I’m accepting your offer to court me,” Donghyuck corrected. “You can ask to mate me later.”

Before he even finished, Mark was nodding ecstatically in agreement. “Yeah, yeah, of course, of course, courting first, that’s how it goes, right, yeah.” Suddenly, his mouth snapped shut and he flushed violently. “Sorry, I’m just... I just didn’t expect you to even say yes after all this.”

“If it were anyone else, I probably wouldn’t have,” Donghyuck confessed, face bright red, “but it’s you... and if I’m being honest, I don’t think I could’ve really chosen anyone else but you. No matter how badly you messed up.”

The look of pure amazement and fondness in Mark’s expression was worth all the embarrassment Donghyuck felt at admitting something so personal. Having Mark stare at him like that, like he was the center of his whole world and would be for the rest of their lives, made him feel embarrassed and self conscious in a way he rarely felt before.

He gave the other a shy grin. “So... do you wanna exchange gifts?”

Mark grinned, reaching for the backpack he hadn’t noticed the other carrying and digging into it. “I’ve been working on this for months, so I hope you like it,” he said, pulling out a big bundle.

“I... uh... I didn’t know you were coming back for this, so it’s not really specific,” Donghyuck mumbled, fumbling with the little gift box he pulled out of his backpack, “I’ll make you something better later.”

“I’ll like anything you give me,” Mark said easily as they swapped gifts, making Donghyuck blush even more, “but you can make something else if that makes you feel better.”

“Do you want to go first or do you want me to?” Donghyuck asked.

“You first.”

“Okay,” he smiled, reaching down to open the package. Under the blanket it was bundled it, there was his gift, wrapped clumsily in wrapping paper (why he did that only to cover it up, he didn’t know) with corners pointing out, revealing bits of something golden underneath. Eagerly, he tore through the wrapping paper, only for his mouth to drop open at what he saw.

Inside was a stuffed baby Simba, wearing cute corded necklace with a sun pendant and was dressed in a white shirt embroidered with a sunrise. For a moment, Donghyuck was confused. Didn’t Mark say he spent months working on his gift? Most of this looked professionally done or store bought. Then an errant stitch on the shirt caught his eye. He inspected the shirt carefully, noticing the stitching was a little messy, some strings poking out from under the embroidery, and knots all over the place. And there, on the back of the shirt, in messy, almost incomprehensible stitching, was the name _Donghyuck._

His heart warmed. Mark had never been good at sewing, let alone embroidering, and the fact that he had painstakingly done this for him while simultaneously studying for exams and graduating from high school meant a lot to him. The idea that Mark was thinking of _him_ the entire time he was making this... he felt like his heart could sing.

He clutched the Simba plush to his chest, shooting Mark an adoring grin. “I love it.”

Mark flushed, scratching the back of his neck. “I... uh... um... the necklace is for you too. I-I mean, you can wear the necklace.”

“I know,” Donghyuck chirped, already clasping the necklace around his neck, the stuffed animal perched precariously between his knees. “It’ll be nice to finally tell people I have a courting gift, and show it off, too.”

“Me too,” Mark sighed, a dreamy grin on his face. “So, can I open mine?” Only barely waiting for Donghyuck’s nod, he threw open the box, not hearing Donghyuck’s hiss of shock as the lid tumbled to the ground. “Oh wow,” he breathed, pulling the bracelet out.

For a brief moment, Donghyuck wanted to die. It was the same bracelet he made when he was 14, when he was preparing for his first mating festival and the excitement of possibly getting a mate made him go above and beyond with his little mating gift. The little pendants and charms he’d thought expensive and romantic then looked dinky and cheap now, and it was clear from first glance that it had been done by an amateur. He couldn’t help but feel his stomach sink. He should’ve made something better, even if he’d ended up picking someone other than Mark.

“Oh my god,” Mark breathed, closely inspecting every little piece of love innocent, naive, 14-year-old Donghyuck had poured into making this gift, only to have it rejected year after year after year.

“I know, it’s bad,” he blabbered, already reaching out to take it back, “I’ll make you something better, I promise--”

“No!” Mark yelped, batting away Donghyuck’s hands and then having to grab them as Donghyuck stumbled, keeping him on the branch. “I’m keeping this bracelet. You won’t be able to convince me to take it off,” he said stubbornly, slipping the bracelet on his right wrist.

“Are you sure?” Donghyuck persisted, hands reaching out again. “It’s old and cheap.”

“So?” The older looked indignant, now clutching his wrist to his chest (over his heart, Donghyuck subconsciously noted) “you made it with so much love, I can’t imagine anything better than this.”

Donghyuck didn’t know how to respond. How could he, when this _perfect_ boy was saying all the right things? When he was cradling Donghyuck’s bracelet like it was made of precious diamonds linked together in solid gold chains?

Finally finding his voice, he nodded, saying, “Okay, if that’s what you want.”

“It is,” Mark replied firmly, before his face melted into something closer to embarrassment. “Um... is it okay if... if I scent you now?”

Oh, right. The next step in courting. Donghyuck was so overwhelmed by the idea of finally being courted that he’d almost forgot about that. He nodded, leaning closer. “Go ahead.”

Mark scooted closer to him on the branch, taking Donghyuck’s chin in a gentle grasp. “Let me know if I hurt you in any way,” he murmured quietly, making eye contact with Donghyuck still given their close proximity.

“Okay,” Donghyuck said breathlessly, subconsciously baring his neck as Mark’s scent begins to fill his lungs to the point that he’s almost sure he’s drunk on it.

The older hummed, too distracted to notice. Without further ado, his buried his face into Donghyuck’s neck.

The younger let out a sharp hiss and his heart rate skyrocketed. The feeling of Mark taking in his scent before rubbing his wrists on Donghyuck’s scent gland, was overwhelming. The amount of trust it took to let someone near his scent gland, where they could just bite down without warning and forcibly mate him, was immense. He couldn’t imagine ever letting someone other than Mark getting anywhere near it.

The longer Mark spent scent marking him, the more intoxicated Donghyuck felt. The smell of fragrant smoke surrounded him, making him dizzy and unfocused. The only thing on his mind was Mark.

All too soon, Mark was pulling back, eyes scanning Donghyuck’s face. “Donghyuck-ah?”

“Mmm,” he hummed.

“Are you okay?”

Dazed, he nodded, leaning forward to lean his forehead against Mark’s shoulder. “Yeah, I’m okay,” he managed after a while. “Just... feels good.”

He felt Mark’s chest vibrate as he laughed. “Good, means I’m doing something right.” A pause. “Do you want to scent me back?”

Immediately, Donghyuck straightened up. “Yes!” He nearly shouted, wincing when he heard his voice echo around the clearing.

Mark leaned his head back and laughed _loudly,_ uncaring that everyone within a kilometer distance could probably hear his stupid, dorky laugh. It had been so long since he’d heard that laugh. He forgot how infectious Mark’s laugh was, and he couldn’t help but join in.

The first thing he noticed when he finally calmed down was the bright, adoring expression on Mark’s face.

_Moon, he missed Mark._ He missed Mark, missed being able to spend time with the one person on this planet who understood him better than even he did, even if they were very different people. He loved his friends, don’t get him wrong, but nothing could replace someone like Mark, who fit him so well.

“Hey,” Mark breathed, reaching out to brush a strand of hair out of Donghyuck’s face. “Are you really okay? Was it too much?”

Leaning into the older’s hand, he shook his head. “Felt good,” he murmured. “Wanna do it to you.”

Mark smiled widely before tilting his head to the side. “Knock yourself out.”

He scoffed. “Don’t tempt me,” he teased, before tentatively leaning forward to bury his face in Mark’s neck.

_God, he smelled good._ He smelled like burning apple wood, sweet and fragrant even while smoldering. He couldn’t help but drop a kiss to Mark’s shoulder, far enough from the scent gland to be safe but close and intimately enough to make the other shiver violently and grip Donghyuck’s shirt tightly. “Hyuckie...”

He shook his head, trying to push the intoxicating smell of Mark out of his head. _Right, he’s supposed to scent him._ Slowly, he wrapped his left arm around Mark to steady him, and brought his right arm to rub softly at Mark’s scent gland. He heard Mark let out a breathy chuckle before tilting his head even more, and Donghyuck tightened his grip when he felt the other relax a little, making sure they didn't topple out of the tree.

It wouldn’t have been the first time.

Moon, he wondered if Mark was feeling the same things he felt just a few minutes earlier when the older scented him. If his scent of sunshine and daffodils overpowered his brain and intoxicated him. If Mark found his scent as alluring as Donghyuck found his.

Finally, once he could distinguish his scent sticking to Mark’s, he pulled back, hiding a pleased smirk at the glazed over look in Mark’s eyes. “Mark?”

Slowly, he watched the other come back to Earth, his grip on Donghyuck tightening before he buried his face in Donghyuck’s shoulder--far away from his scent gland, mind you--in embarrassment.

“C’mon, it wasn’t _that_ bad,” Donghyuck laughed. “I was the same way earlier!” He frowned playfully, although he knew the other wouldn’t see it. “Don’t tell me you buy into the whole ‘strong alpha’ bullshit.”

“No,” Mark whined, making Donghyuck laugh even harder. “I was just... _surprised,_ that’s all.”

He smirked. “Well get used to it, because I’m gonna keep trying to fluster you, now that you’re sticking around.” He frowned, finally noticing the sun had dipped quite a bit in the sky. It must be around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. “Hey, do you want to go back to the festival?”

“Do you?” Mark hummed, finally coming out of his hiding place.

He shook his head. “Nah, don’t feel like it. I actually kinda like my hiding place this year.”

The older smiled. “Well, it’s not gonna be a hiding place anymore, now that you have me. Want to make it _our_ place?”

_Damn it Mark._ He was trying to fluster him, wasn’t he? And it was working too, unless the sun suddenly decided to shine brighter _in_ the tree. Donghyuck was a confident flirter. He couldn’t let awkward-clumsy-beanpole Mark win.

Moving quickly, Donghyuck kissed Mark’s cheek, closer to the corner of his lips than anything, but still technically not an actual kiss.

Donghyuck had to grab Mark before he toppled out of the tree.

 

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on twitter! I do nothing, really but retweet stuff and occasionally gush about my twin but let's be friends!  
> @thequietrecluse
> 
> Oh, by the way, if you want more of this, let me know! I have headcanons for the rest of NCT if you're interested ^_^
> 
> (Iris, if you're reading this, I love you <3 Don't yell at me for posting this while half sleep-drunk)


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